Tied to You
by fullmetalskies
Summary: Not many people figured out who their soul mate was until they were already gone. And that's how cruel this world has become.
1. Chapter 01

Sting opened his eyes upon hearing his alarm clock, his face having no emotion. He'd stayed up half the night again, fearing what could happen when he'd lose his soul mate. Or his soul mate lost him. It was a terrible thought.

Maybe one of them would fall to their death, because Sting wouldn't listen when they'd say "don't let go". Many days, he wondered what his partners sentence was. Others, he thought maybe his sentence was what he would say, and not his partner. He couldn't stand the thought of his soul mate deliberately falling to their death, that gave him even more fear.

But he knew that he could not change his fate, for the Great One had foreseen it... and no one goes against the Great One.

He rolled out of bed, hitting the 'off' button on the clock as he walked by, and slipped into the bathroom. Going through the usual routine he went through every morning, he was ready for the day within twenty minutes. He checked in on his father to make sure he was still alive before silently closing the front door behind him.

Outside, everything was as it normally was. Protesters against the Institute were gathered around a group of guards, picketing peacefully. Compared to the Citadel, this was the least of everyone's worries. Up there, protesters gave their life to their cause, desperately trying to stop the Institute's 'schemes'. They would bomb parts of the Citadel everyday, aiming for attention.

Down on the Lower District, nobody was as violent. Nor did anyone have a lot of money like the higher-up's in the Citadel did. People down on the lower district were kind despite how the Institute stole their jewels every waking hour.

Sting walked past the protesters to the station, where he hopped on Train 29 after showing his identification to the guards near the entrance. Seeing that there weren't any open seats, he grabbed onto the railing above him, sighing out.

The train ride was quiet, giving Sting enough focus to watch the surroundings fly by. He took note of everything he saw. Keys and Knick Knacks, a store owned by Yukino Aguria and Lucy Heartfilia. He knew the two personally and saw them a few times a week. Books Made of Iron, a small library owned by Levy and Gajeel Redfox. He'd met the two a few times, but really only saw them when he needed to do research on a crime. After seeing those two shops, everything began to blur again, his eyes barely catching onto what he was seeing.

The Capital of Tartaros Nation, Fiore, was split into three districts. The lowest was the Lower District, where the middle class citizens lived and worked, unless they worked for the Institute. The Higher District was where the upper class citizens and government officials lived and worked. The Institute District was where the Institute was placed, where the Great One always was, and was always the highlight of the city. From the Higher District to the Institute District, that was called the Citadel. The key areas of the Capital. Each District was stacked on top of one another, connected and spaced apart by a single steel bar that also served as an elevator. Down here on the Lower District, people used trains instead of flying cars like the upper class individuals. Many people believed it was more effective that way.

As the train came to an abrupt stop, Sting hopped off the train, along with several others. Yawning shortly, he walked the short distance to the office, clocked in, and went to his desk.

"On time as usual, Sting." His partner, Natsu, said as he walked up with an extra cup of coffee.

Gratefully, he took the cup, "Of course, but you're early," he raised his eyebrow at him as he took a drink. Natsu scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah... Gray and I got into a fight this morning, so I left early."

Sting rolled his eyes, "What'd you do? Eat the last doughnut?" he asked sarcastically as he sat down and started looking through the files that had been put on his desk.

He heard a mumbled, "yes".

Scoffing and shaking his head, Sting copied each file from paper into the computer in front of him, his eyes constantly darting back and forth. What had finally stopped his eyes, was a case file that involved a few murders. I usually don't get unsolved murder files, he thought, seeing as the only piece of evidence was a reading of extremely high Ethernano particles near where the bodies were found.

He made a frustrated noise before getting up and walking into the Captain's office. "Sir, what the hell is this?" he put the file on the desk in front of his superior, waiting for an answer.

"It's obviously an unsolved case that needs to get solved."

"Sir, there is practically no evidence, and this happened over two months ago. How do you expect me to solve this?" He kept his tone low to refrain from losing his job; Captain Jiemma had a short temper.

"As a Private, you told me that you would solve any case I give you. You'd best own up to your word," Jiemma said, warning him with his eyes.

"Yes, Sir." Storming out of his office, Sting grabbed his coat and the file, telling Natsu to come with.

"We've got a murder to solve, Natsu." he had said once his partner caught up.

"We usually stick to gruesome homicides, what do you mean, we've got a regular murder?" Natsu said, confused.

"We're detectives. We took an oath to solve any and all cases. We have to own up to that." Giving in, Natsu sighed and munched on his doughnut.

"Well, then who's the victim?" he asked.

"There's more than one. Skiadrum Cheney, Grandeeney Marvell, Metallicana Redfox, and your father, Igneel."


	2. Chapter 02

"My father is dead...?" Natsu mumbled, losing all focus and concentration. His world started to spin as he stopped walking, trying to grasp onto the news.

"If you're not capable of taking the case, I'll ask Rufus," Sting added, patting his partners back gently. He had known Natsu's dad hasn't been around for a long time, so it didn't surprise him that Natsu had thought of him dead before then.

"No, I can handle this... Let's go see the crime scenes." Once Natsu started walking again, he was slow and distant, almost like a robot. Narrowing his eyes, Sting nodded and walked with Natsu to the crime scene.

"We're here," Sting started, pointing at the outline of where the investigators found the body. He looked around the small apartment as Natsu stared at the lines.

'If I was going to kill someone... Would I shoot them unexpectedly, or attack them in their own home?' he asked himself, looking through the file once more, to see how he had died. 'Pierced from behind. That doesn't explain the broken windows.'

"Natsu, can you go ask the neighbors if they ever remember anything happening over here the night of his death?" Sting asked, looking over to see Natsu slowly nodding and walking out of the room.

When the salmon-haired male came back, he said that they didn't hear anything, just like they did everyday. There was never a sound in this apartment. If there was, it was silenced.

Sting nodded, giving him a short 'thank you'. He went back to the front door and puts himself in the shoes of the killer. 'He sneaks into the house, and as Igneel just so happens to be turned away from him, he gets stabbed in the back and the window is broken. That doesn't add up.'

Searching through the file, he looked for the autopsy report without any luck. "Can you stay here while I go back for the report?" he asked Natsu, hoping that if he said yes, he would be alright.

Earning a short nod from his partner, Sting left the scene and ran back to the office to find the papers. Meanwhile, Natsu sat down in front of where his father used to be and mumbled; "You said you'd come back. You said I would see you again. You promised. Why'd you break your promise?"

Crying alone in a room where someone was murdered isn't as fun as anyone planned it'd be, but it happened nonetheless. When Sting returned, Natsu was in the same spot he was before. He sighed out and scanned the file, which now included the autopsy.

'He was struck at a forty-five degree angle, and he fell backwards. Meaning the killer must've crashed in here through the window, stabbed Igneel, and went right back out were he came from. That also implies that this man would be about my height, considering the angle and Igneel's height.'

He groaned in frustration once more, now he knew how the killer came in and murdered his victim, but there's nothing that could lead him to his identity. "Where's the next killing?" he mumbled as he walked past Natsu as he started to leave.

"Three blocks due east," his partner answered, seeming to have finally overcome his trauma. "Then what're we waiting for? Let's go!"

Upon arriving at the place of which Metallicana Redfox had been killed, Sting and Natsu had realized people lived here. There was awkward silence between the homeowners and the detectives after they had asked to examine the scene, but it was as if these people didn't know of the murder.

Exchanging a confused look, the two apologized quickly and left. They stood outside on the sidewalk, thinking quietly. "How come they didn't know? Wait, why were they living there after such a recent murder in the first place?" Natsu asked, scratching his neck and yawning.

"That's a good question, I don't know. Maybe there's more to these murders than we thought," Sting answered, yawning just after Natsu did. There was silence between them once more, until one of them spoke up and said, "Wanna get doughnuts?"

It wasn't until much later that Sting was allowed to go home for the night. When he boarded the train, there were no open seats - as usual - leaving him to scowl and stand. He didn't pay attention to anyone else as they got on, only focused on getting home in time to medicate his father.

Until, a black haired male stepped on at the last second, just before the doors closed. He looked rushed and in a hurry, but certainly good looking either way. He stood near Sting and sighed out in what seemed like relief.

A few stops later, he moved closer to Sting as another person stood beside him. He looked at him, studying his face, before outstretching his hand. "I'm Rogue." It was sudden, but Sting shook hands with him.

"Sting. Nice to meet you," he said as he shifted his attention to Rogue, smiling softly in politeness. "I think you'd be a good friend, so I'd like to get to know you. Someone close to me told me to make friends, so you're the lucky winner, I guess," he mumbled, a little embarrased.

Sting couldn't help but laugh, "Not many people would consider me a good friend, but alright, I'm fine with that." Despite the depressed and almost emo look that Rogue gives off, he could've sworn that he saw his dull eyes light up in happiness. "Really? Ahh, thanks. I'd be dead meat if you'd said no," he smiled faintly.

The two conversed in a very friendly manner until both of them stated that theirs was the next stop, which made the two chuckle softly. Sadly, they went opposite directions after getting off the train.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sting."

"You too, Rogue."

Once inside his apartment, Sting reluctantly smiled brightly as he made his way to his fathers room. As he gave him his medicine, he told him about his day as usual. But when he talked about Rogue, he sounded so into it, like he really enjoyed being around him.

"I think he'll be a great friend, don't you, Dad?" he asked, even though he knew his father wouldn't answer.

This time, the nightmares of worrying didn't visit Sting. He slept easy for the first time in seven years.


End file.
